FORT MOJAVE — Desert Star Academy will stage “Frozen, the Musical” this spring after the Colorado River Union High School District canceled its contract to use Mojave High School's auditorium for a charter school. We are scrambling to find a venue and date. performance.
The action sparked a small firestorm on social media earlier this week, with DSA production director Joshua Michel claiming, “CRUHSD has made the decision to sever all ties with local charter schools, including ours.” did.
This drew comments questioning the reasoning behind the decision and the authenticity of the cancellation, culminating in a succinct response from CRUHSD Superintendent Dr. Tim Richard.
“An ignorant co-conspirator on social media has falsely suggested that students who attend charter schools are not welcome on district property,” Richard said in a post on the district's Facebook page Wednesday afternoon. “This is completely untrue. We welcome students from public, private, homeschool, and charter schools to participate in a variety of competitions and events at all district facilities and will continue to do so.” I also plan to continue participating.
“What has changed is that the days of businesses and other entities taking advantage of our school districts by not meeting their contractual commitments or paying their bills on time are over.”
However, a screenshot of an email purportedly from Richard seemingly contradicts the district's official statement that has been circulating online.
“We will no longer rent our facilities or real estate to charter schools,” the email reads in part, after asking the redacted recipients to refund DSA and cancel the event. Concerns were also raised about groups using the auditorium without a “performance license.”
Richard told the Daily News the email was an internal email not intended for public release. But he stood by the email and said it only explained one thing.
“I would add one simple sentence to that: We need to get high school accreditation because high schools are competing with us for admission,” Richard said. “There are other charter schools that don’t have a high school component, and we will continue to do business with them.”
He said the government would investigate how the email was disseminated to the public.
Desert Star, which currently operates as a kindergarten through eighth grade charter school, recently announced plans to open a high school for grades nine through 12 beginning in the 2024-25 school year. This means DSA will begin competing directly with CRUHSD for students. It operates Mojave High School and River Valley High School, as well as CRUHSD Academy. CRUHSD also operates the Anderson Auto Group Fieldhouse, a facility paid for through a bond issue narrowly approved by district voters in 2016.
“Arizona has encouraged competition between home schools, private schools, charter schools, and public schools for decades. We welcome this competition,” Richard said.
But CRUHSD does not intend to play a role in tilting the field in favor of charter schools, he said.
“In the spirit of competition, CRUHSD will not assist private and charter schools at the high school level in their mission to steal our enrollment,” he posted. “They have their facilities and resources and we have ours. Good luck!”
DSA Director Margie Montgomery said the school is responsible for its agreement with CRUHSD.
“We signed the contract and paid,” she said. “As far as I know, there's never been a problem.”
In the initial announcement of the show's cancellation, Michel said the school is “actively exploring alternative options and venues to ensure that our talented scholars continue to have the opportunity to showcase their hard work and dedication.” ” he said.
“Rest assured, we are committed to bringing 'Frozen, the Musical' to our community and will keep you updated along the way.”
Montgomery said both the Boys & Girls Club of Colorado and the Bullhead Area Chamber of Commerce have reached out to offer space.
“This is just a great community,” Montgomery said. “People are already showing up to help us.”
But that's no more than room for producers to replace, she added. The MHS auditorium is ready for performance, with lighting and sound systems, curtains and backdrops, stage access, and ample space for sets and props.
“It's not just the auditorium, it's everything else,” Montgomery said, adding that school officials are still actively considering “all options” to save the production.
“Our hearts are truly broken for the children,” she said. “But we will find a way…I don't know what it will be right now.”
DSA's art department is no stranger to the MHS auditorium. In November, the school held a two-night performance of its first musical, “Beauty and the Beast,'' at a rented facility on its Bullhead City campus in Mojave.
DSA also has an agreement with CRUHSD for advertising in the fieldhouse as part of the district's sponsorship program.
“We have had a great relationship with CRUHSD,” Montgomery said, adding that the school has been using CRUHSD's facilities “for several years now.”
“I’ve never had a problem before,” she said.
CRUHSD board member Carrie Fearing released a statement online regarding the issue, saying that although she supports school choice, she is “saddened to see what is happening” and believes in “coming together as a community.” Ta.
“I do not support the campaign being conducted using CRUHSD,” she posted. “I am one of the board members and I take pride in not overstepping my role…We are better than this! I will make my position clear at the meeting and I urge you to attend and do the same in an appropriate, non-adversarial manner.”
The CRUHSD Board of Directors will meet on Monday, February 12 at 6 p.m. at the Anderson Auto Group Fieldhouse, 3663 Bullhead Parkway, Bullhead City.
